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Is Intermediate Fasting the New Diet Fad?

Welcome back to Court’s corner! After diving into the KETO diet, I uncovered some other topics as well that I found interesting. Dieting is hard for so many and finding a diet that works for your specific body is even harder. I know for me I have tried so many different things and finding something that I can feel healthy doing and see results is hard to balance. While I researched KETO I saw a lot of discussion on website and on Facebook groups about something called intermediate fasting. Which I have also seen called intermittent energy restriction is basically just a term used to describe various meal timing schedules. There are various types and ways to do it and I plan to dive into each of them. According to Wikipedia the various methods can include alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, and daily time-restricted feeding.

Can that be healthy? You limit the times you eat into a time constraint. I want to know whether that is healthy or causing harm to the body. This diet unlike KETO focus more on when you eat rather than what you eat. Mark Mattson, Ph.D., at John Hopkins Medicine website says, “our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours, or even several days or longer. In prehistoric times, before humans learned to farm, they were hunters and gatherers who evolved to survive — and thrive — for long periods without eating. They had to: It took a lot of time and energy to hunt game and gather nuts and berries.” He even goes on to talk about how even 50 years ago portions were much smaller, and people went to bed much earlier (Johns Hopkins Medicine). There was not tv keeping us awake so we were not eating as late as we do now. Which I would have to agree with sometimes I will eat dinner then around 10 or 11 I feel like I want a little snack or something before bed. I feel like there is a good amount of people that do the same. Intermediate fasting cuts that out.

A common one to do is to only allow yourself to eat within an 8 hour period of the day. So for example I could only eat from 8 to four or even 12-8 but I can only eat in that allotted amount of time. Mattson says that if a person is eating three meals a day and no exercise they are still living off those calories and not burning their fat stores. There are more plans to choose from as well. The 16/8 seems the easiest approach for people. That is the 8 hour eating, 16 hour fasting approach I previously discussed. People tend to be able to follow that one better than some of the other more strict fasting. Then there is the 5:2 approach. This one is where you eat normally everyday except for two days of the week. On those two days you limit yourself to one 500-600 calorie meal. People have been know to do day or days fast where they go 24 hours without food. Some have even been known to do as long as 72 hours. This one does not seem to be encouraged as much it could be potentially dangerous and have negative effects. The body will begin actually storing fat instead of burning it as a response to starvation.

Now to discuss what is best to eat when you are fasting. John Hopkins Medicine website says it you are allowed to drink water and zero calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea during the times you are not eating. I think that is very helpful since sometimes when you get hungry you desperately need something you still have an option. While you shouldn’t go crazy with what you eat and still need to be mindful there is a reason people choose intermediate fasting. For the most part you can enjoy the foods you want as long as it is during those allotted time frames.

I personally think I would try this over KETO now that I have dived deeper into it. The times may seem restrictive but the food you get to eat isn’t as restrictive as KETO. To each their own though and of course before changing any diet dramatically talk to your doctor to make sure it is a safe and healthy option for you personally. Has anyone tried fasting before? Share your experience below!

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Cleanest Makeup to use in 2021

Welcome back to Court’s Corner! Finding the best makeup that works with your skin is already a difficult task but finding one that is clean and not filled with toxins is even harder. As I have gotten a little older, I have started to pay attention to what is not only in my food but also things like my makeup as well. I like a lot of people love to every now and then spruce up my look with a little bit of makeup. I started wearing makeup when I began college.  I started out with just drug store makeup my main place to shop for mine then and some now is Target. They especially over the last year or so have really upped their makeup presence in their store. I was looking through there make up selection the other day and they had brands in their that were advertising “organic” or “clean” makeup products. I started thinking “well what is in these other brands then?” That is what began my search for the “cleanest” makeup in 2021. Also, what do some of these products that aren’t defined as “clean” have in them.

What can be in some of your makeup you’re using right now? From my search there is all kinds of toxins that can be in your makeup. There can be anything from heavy metals, arsenic lead to parabens. Parabens are chemicals that are used as preservatives in cosmetics. Parabens can lead to breast cancer development it can also elevate cellular level damage that can be caused by UV exposure. Many will suffer from allergic reactions as well. Some brands that came up when I was searching for which brands to a avoid and I found Clinique, bareMinerals, and some other well-known brands contain these parabens. This surprised me since I have in the past used these brands thinking that they would not be harmful to my skin but in some ways even help it. I find it deceiving that harmful toxins can be hidden in these products that people use on their face every single day.

Now that I have seen what not to buy, I have refocused my search on what I should buy instead. I began with my first question. What does it mean for the makeup to be considered clean? According to www.harpersbazaar.com clean means that the product is safe for people as well as the planet. It will contain plant-based ingredients and will use a nontoxic element as a baseline. Now that we know exactly what that means now we can determine what are some brands that promote that in their products.

www.Glamour.com has a list of the Best “Organic Makeup Brand You need on your Radar.”

A few of the ones they mention are:

RMS Beauty: It is cruelty free, free of parabens, sulfates and other toxins while also coming in recycled packaging.

Kjaer Weis: It is cruelty free, paraben free and also has refillable packaging.

Vapour: Vapour is natural and organic as well as cruelty free. They have an extensive environmental element to their company and product which includes their headquarters being run off 50% renewable energy – which they are hopping for 100% by the end of 2022. They also use compostable materials for packaging.

I think I will give each of these products a try and see how they compare to not only each other but to the other name brands as well. Once I do that, I will leave a review of each in the comments below. I feel that it is very important to get something that is not only compatible with your skin but is not damaging it in anyway. It is important to know what is in the products you’re buying! If you have any organic or clean products you love leave them in the comments below!

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KETO Diet Good or Bad?

Quarantine 30, anyone?? Well, I know for me quarantine has added a few numbers to my scale that I do not necessary want hanging around. I feel this may be the case for many people. You spend a year only being able to move from your bed to kitchen to living room doesn’t exactly promote an active lifestyle. I also indulged in a few too many DOORDASH and UBEREATS expenses so I’ve begun a search for a new diet I can bring into my lifestyle. There’s the common ones like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, but then I noticed that KETO has become quite popular. I’ve heard very mixed things about it so I wanted to dive into it a little more before I make such a body and lifestyle altering decision.

I started my due diligence and have come across some KETO Facebook groups that have been very insightful. They will post meals and advice for beginners. It seems to be a low carb to basically no carb diet with an emphasis on getting a good portion of protein along with fats in. The main thing that stood out to me more is what you could eat compared to what you could not eat. The list of can eats seemed to really appeal to me. You can eat meats, seafood, eggs, “Keto friendly” vegetables which include avocado, broccoli, spinach, etc., nuts and seeds, as well as fats and cheeses. You can have any sauces you want as well. If you love ranch as much as I do then you’re in luck here. What you can’t eat though is what has me a little weary to try. First is sugary food so no candy if you’re trying to KETO. Also, starchy foods are a no no. If you’re like me and like pasta, you’ll have to find alternative to make this work within your KETO diet.

Looking at the KETO diet from a distance it probably doesn’t seem that bad and many people have been really successful with losing weight on this diet, but what is it actually doing to their body. I wanted to find out.

According to www.uchicagomedicine.org their article states that the diet can cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies, and an increased risk of heart disease. If you have any conditions that involve the pancreas, liver, thyroid, or gallbladder then this is not the safest diet for them. Some KETO followers can experience the “keto flu” which causes them to experience dizziness, upset stomach, decreased energy and even mood swings. Many doctors do not recommend this diet to their patients, but it is important to speak with a dietician and figure out what is the most beneficial to your own body.

I can see how many people when they are seeing dramatic changes in short amount of time it is hard to quit or notice the consequences it has on your body. It is important to find a healthy lifestyle and relationship with food that works for the individual person. Many find success with this diet, and many do not. Every single body type is different so it is not something that one person can decide for everyone. I’ve heard many people that have said they felt awful and will never do it again and I have heard people that it has helped them maintain some of their other medical problems they have going on. For me I think at some point I may try it but not right now. I am focusing on eating less fast food and making sure I am eating things that nourish my body instead of depleting it. Let me know your opinion on it in the comments below!

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2021 Skincare Routine Must Haves

It seems skincare has become a more prevalent thing in society these days. Each celebrity is sharing theirs and swears it works. All the magazines tell you the must haves. It’s hard to know what is actually worth your money. Do you need to buy a super expensive one or do you get the same quality out of a drug store moisturizer? Even in my own group of friends we constantly are sharing our new finds and what works and does not work. The thing that is tricky is not all skin is the same, right? So how are you supposed to be able to have a unique routine specifically for you when websites are saying you have to follow this routine to achieve perfect skin and also something that is not so time consuming that you have to spend an hour every night doing it.

My personal routine is very simple. I start out putting Ordinary Peeling Solution on my face. It can be found at www.Ulta.com I leave this on for about 3 minutes before getting into the shower. It says you can leave up to 10 but I usually stick to around 3 to 4 minutes. I wash it off in the shower then once out I do a cleanser. The one I have been using lately is CeraVe Foaming Face Wash. It is supposed to cleanse skin and help with breakouts. I usually order from www.Amazon.com. Right now, it is about $25.27. Next, I move on to my serum. I try to get one that has retinol in it. That seems to be a key component in maintaining healthy skin and a lot of my friends say it has dramatically helped their skin as well. Retinol increases skin cell turnover time. This means you are producing new fresher skin faster which does decrease over time, so retinol reverses that effect. The one I currently use is also one of CeraVe’s skin products. It is the CeraVe Retinol Serum. It is to suppose to help with skin texture. My skin is more on the oily side, so I get more of a lotion type serum than an oil-based serum. I also get this one at Amazon.com for about $16.17. After that if it is nighttime, I will end it there, but if it is morning and I am headed out for my day I put on a moisturizer with some kind of SPF in it. The one I personally use is CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion. It is important to have that SPF in there to make sure you are protecting your skin from UV rays. Even if it’s not sunny out or you think you’ll be inside the majority of the day still do it. Better to be safe than sorry!

Now that I have shared my skin care routine I wanted to see what I found on Google to see what are some must to have in your skincare routine.

According to www.Bustle.comthese are the must your skincare routine must include:

1. Apply SPF Every Single Day.

2. Using Retinol Only at Night.

3. Apply Moisturizer The Second You Leave The Shower

4. Apply Products in the correct Order

5. Using An Exfoliator

6. Using an Eye Cream After Your Moisturizer

7. Changing your Skincare With The Seasons

8. Removing Your Makeup Before Cleansing

9. Using A Facial Mist In The Morning

10. Using Your Mask As A Spot Treatment

After seeing these I need to definitely make adjustments to mine, but I do believe a good skincare routine is one that fits into your time, budget and skin type! All fun ideas though and I will definitely be trying some in the future. Let me know what products you guys have in your skin routine below in the comments!

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Benefits of Books

Welcome to Court’s Corner. I’m Courtney! I want to explore and write about health, wellness, and books! Those are my favorite things and if they interest you as well then you’ve come to the right spot! I do a lot of reading and it’s a big part of my day to day life. So let’ jump right in with that! Reading offers so many beneficial aspects to the brain. Some including reducing stress, preventing cognitive decline and also alleviate depression. I try to read about 50 pages every night. It not only keeps me away from screen time whether that be my phone or Netflix but it also helps aid in sleep. I would recommend anyone having trouble falling asleep to give it a try. The book I just finished reading was Adobe and Arsenic by Mia P. Manansala. The book was so captivating. It dived into the Philippian culture and even had fun recipes in the back that were mentioned in the book. It’s all about a family restaurant and an ex that winds up dead in the restaurant due to what's suspected to be arsenic poisoning. This leads to the ex girlfriend being the prime suspect and the restaurant being temporarily shut down. It had plenty of suspense while also broadening my knowledge on the culture which I always find it delightful to learn something new. I have woken up feeling much more refreshed and can feel a change since reading before bed compared to my old way of throwing on, The Office, which I still watch of course but now I try to turn it off thirty minutes before bed to have my reading time. What has helped me keep new books on my “to read list” is this amazing website I've found. I recently joined the website, Book of the Month. You pay a $15.99 fee once a month and you get to choose a new book every month. That’s how I got the one I previously stated. Some of the books are early releases. It is very fun, the first of each month, going on and seeing what's new. I highly recommend it and usually you can choose additional books for a discounted price. Reading is one of those things that will never go out of style. It’s good for you and there’s always something next to read. My personal favorite genre is thriller/suspense. I want to be wondering the whole time and not have the answer until the last few pages. I usually can search “thriller” or “suspense” and find a variety of options to choose from. My next book on my list to read is The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave. I’m only a few chapters in but I can already tell it is going to be a mystery till the end. So far we have a wife and her step daughter left worried and wondering after her husband quickly leave town only leaving a note behind. The news is reporting he may be on the run from a big fraud scheme that happened at the start up company he works for. I’m excited to see what happens next. I will post my review of it in the comments when I finished it!  No matter what you choose to read or where you get your books from it is important you take the time to do it. It resets your mind and strengthens it in a way no tv show or movie can. I have a few books waiting on my bookshelf to read they include The Hunting Wives by May Cobb, The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (he also wrote the Silent Patient which was amazing as well), and The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. You tell me which one I should read next and what book you’re currently reading in the comments!!